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Aramaic Apocalypse

The Aramaic Apocalypse (4Q246) is a fragmentary Aramaic text from Qumran that presents a vision of a coming kingdom and a messianic figure.|||4Q246, a single fragment in Aramaic from Cave 4.|||Composed c. 100 BCE.|||Not canonical in any tradition.|||Contains the earliest known references to " Son of God" and " Son of the Most High." Provides crucial background for understanding messianic expectation in the New Testament.|||Fitzmyer, J. A. The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Origins. Eerdmans, 2000.|||Puech, É. " Fragment d'une apocalypse en araméen (4Q246)." RB 99 (1992): 98–131.|||Collins, J. J. The Scepter and the Star. Doubleday, 1995.|||Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library|https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/|View fragment images.;; Wikipedia — 4Q246|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4Q246|Background and scholarship.|||" He will be called the son of God, and they will call him the son of the Most High." — Aramaic Apocalypse 2:1

Collection: Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran) Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition.

Date & Provenance

Composed c. 100 BCE.

Language & Manuscripts

4Q246, a single fragment in Aramaic from Cave 4.

Why It Matters for Study

Contains the earliest known references to " Son of God" and " Son of the Most High." Provides crucial background for understanding messianic expectation in the New Testament.

" He will be called the son of God, and they will call him the son of the Most High." — Aramaic Apocalypse 2:1

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

Fitzmyer, J. A. The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Origins. Eerdmans, 2000.
Puech, É. " Fragment d'une apocalypse en araméen (4Q246)." RB 99 (1992): 98–131.
Collins, J. J. The Scepter and the Star. Doubleday, 1995.